Paul makes a powerful point in 1 Corinthians 9:19 about being free and belonging to no man.  I would add, that we are free from all men, even others in the church.  Yes, we are free to turn our back even on God.

Paul referred to Demas in 2 Timothy 4:10 as deserting him, “because he loved this world.”  They had been teammates in serving God – but the lure of the world drew him away from those previous commitments to a life of compromise.  He was free to do that, and so are you and I.

Paul spoke of this in his letter to the Galatians, 5:13, “You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”

Our freedom is not to be exercised in a self-serving or gratifying way.  We are free to serve.  To serve in love.  That is, in a self-giving way.

This is the choice Paul made according to 1 Corinthians 9:19.  He declared, “I make myself a slave to everyone.”  This word “slave” means to be a “bondslave.”  It refers back to the Old Testament when a slave was to be freed after 7 years.  But if he chose to continue as a slave to his master for life, the master would take him to a doorpost and with an awl bore a hole through the ear and into the doorpost as a sign that he’d be a bondslave for life. 

That’s the decision Paul made – to be a bondslave of Jesus Christ to serve everyone around him.  This was a serious choice.  It meant he had to take everyone seriously and be ready to serve them.

 I haven’t always been faithful, but I too have made that choice.  Have you?